The Berlin Airlift is a film that provokes feelings of sympathy for the victims of competing for colonial powers during the Cold War. For example, the movie taught me about the needfulness for peace in any given country. In this case, the movie made me realize that peace is essential because it allows people to move around and at least get something to eat. I also thought about the importance of social interactions between people as being one of the essential requisitions for a happy life. Such a feeling resulted from the fact that the movie showed the problems that the Berliners faced as a result of isolation and limitation of their freedom. The Berliners in the movie did not have anything to eat at all because the Soviets had cut off all the gas, food, and electricity supplies to the city, and the situation worsened when they could interact freely.
The pathetic living conditions of the people provoked feelings of hatred towards the four forces that were contesting for the ownership of the city. For instance, I could not understand why Britain, the US, France, and the Soviet Union fought consistently at the expense of the people. The colonialists were ruthless to the Berliners and hoped to attract their attention using crude methods. There was no need for the airlift, which entailed ferrying food aid to Berlin if the colonialists had kept from the city and left the Berliners to manage their affairs.
My concern for the people in the movie went to the women and the children. These groups of people proved more vulnerable than the males and depended entirely on them for provision. One such instance is when the pilots dedicate their lives to the service of Berliners.
More precisely, many men lost their lives in trying to save the situation, especially the pilots. The plane crashes that resulted from the careless flights to and from Berlin proved too dangerous for inexperienced pilots, which made my moods even more sympathetic. However, I did not understand why Britain and the US undertook to feed the Berliners when they could only have withdrawn from the German capital. The style of feeding the people also pointed out that the fact that the US and Britain were only exploring their selfish interests and keeping Russia out of their jurisdiction. Therefore, I thought that the two nations were trying to paint an image of Russia as being the evil party and them as the better.
I also learned that the use of propaganda works to a good extent in shaping the perceptions of people towards others. The competing powers caused the people to hate each other just because of the use of propaganda in trying to counter the actions of their competitors. The use of the radio stations to campaign one another was one such instance that the US used against the USSR. The people were too desperate to refuse such propaganda because they hoped that the US and Britain would protect them from the attacks of the Soviets.
In conclusion, the movie provoked sympathetic feelings in me, especially for the vulnerable members of society. In the actual thought, there was nothing that the fighting powers could have lost had they chose peace and withdrawn from Berlin. Therefore, their selfish actions caused the people of Belin to live as though they were slaves in their country. There could not have been a better way of learning about the events of the cold war expect from the film.
The cold war impact in Europe with regard to economic development had greater strength in Germany. Germany became economic powerhouse after the cold war. Many industries and new technologies were developed in the Europe. This industrial and technology development was based in the Germany’s steel and coal industries. The industries produced defensive materials which were made of steel and coal and they were supplied to French and other countries.
The increasing demand for the arms by many militaries increased the supply of the weapons and this and subsequent income increase to the manufacturing industries and the need for more and advanced technology to create the weapons. This increased the competition between the United States and the European industry and consumer market. The industries provided job opportunities to the Europeans and this increased the investment rate, formation of political parties and a general economic growth due to implementation of right to welfare, health insurance systems and general social relation.
Asia
In Asia, the economic development was limited by the cold war. This is because countries like Japan were occupied by the Americans and they gave military force. Since the United States was rivals with the Soviet Union, little (if any) was provided to the Japanese and this limited the supplies of raw materials to their industries. They subsequently lacked food, became unemployed and bankruptcies increased. This led to recession of the country.
United States
Cold war encouraged the growth of nuclear capabilities in America. People got chances to have their won economic decisions as a result of democratic localism which was enforced. This made growth in economy, and subsequent capitalism renewal. The Americans prospered as a result of freedom in many aspects of their lives.
The welfare state and consumer culture in relation to cold war developments
The consumer culture in United States encouraged the development of cold war, because the United States airlifted supplies that were to be used to open up the Berlin city, which the Soviet Union had blocked to limit the United States plan to limit Russian expansion in the city. The United States military power continually increased against the European Military (Pearson 2008).
The welfare state in Europe meant that the European economy and well being relied on the government programs. This means that the European government was accountable for many income-generating practices and businesses in the Europe. For example the Airbus Company is fully under the European government programs. On the other hand, the United States applied the consumer culture where individuals could access and own companies and other income-generating businesses. For example the Boeing Company is owned by individuals in United States. The welfare state in Europe enhanced economic recovery after the war.
Command economy in U.S.S.R was inefficient and appeared like a prison to the civilians. What was to be sold was dictated by the government, but buying was not limited. This meant that the workers worked hard to meet the command economic demand without involving in the market thus not benefiting from the economy and the market.
The market economy enhances wealth creation for big companies. The Majority of the wealth created is kept by the big businesses, while leaving very little (if any) to the workers. The workers are not given the free will to the market; instead they are leveraged to resources that are not in the market. Despite how much creative the workers were, they always got orders in order to be paid.
The command economy limits individuals from personal participation in the economy, giving chances to proxy. The economy doe not empower individuals. (Herrick 2007). The commodity gap in some country’s remained high, since few commodities were produced to meet the demand. A good example is in Japan where lack of raw materials for the industries and unemployment made people experience food, shortages. The United States continued to persist since there was a disparity between the power and number of weapons in the U.S.S.R and the ballistic missiles arsenals of the United States.
Reference
Herrick, S. Fair and free: Part II. Celsias 2007. Web.
Pearson Education, Inc. Eastern Europe and Western society during Cold War. Pearson Education. 2008. Web.
From 1946, the cold war affected almost all aspects of the world’s social, economic, political and cultural life (Quart & Albert 214). In 1991, Sir Churchill announced the separation of the Soviet Union from the eastern satellite Nations (Reinhold, 85).
This led to the birth of cold war which greatly influenced the film industry especially in American and in the Soviet Union (John & Peter 451).
In the United States for example, the film industry became a target for Un-American political and social film industry personalities. During the nineteen fifties, film personalities who failed to cooperate with the Hollywood film committee were blacklisted by the studios and worse still, some of them such as ‘the Hollywood Ten’ were made to serve a prison sentence (iMinds 2).
The Film Industry during Cold War
The ‘Hollywood Ten’ were screen play writers, film directors and producers. iMinds asserts that, “These 10 individuals had been summoned to appear before the congressional house committee that dealt with Un-American activities” (iMinds 1).
The end of world war two marked the start of the cold war between the Unites States of America and the Soviet Union. The congressional house committee reflected the climate of fear created by the rise of communism and clash of ideologies, initially over the partition of Germany (iMinds 1).
The committee existed to investigate the infiltration of Hollywood by communists in the belief that communist agents were planting propaganda in American movies (iMinds 1). It was illegal in America to join the communist party, and all the ten individuals had been members of the party at one time or another.
The ‘Hollywood Ten’ were convicted of contempt of congress, and each of them sentenced to up to a year in prison and a fine of one thousand dollars (iMinds 2).
They were also blacklisted by Hollywood, and after serving their sentences, their only avenue for work was to leave America, or to work under pseudonyms (iMinds 2).
The ‘Hollywood Ten’ cases was only the beginning. As the blacklist grew, it damaged the careers of hundreds of American artists. Many artists were forced to betray their friendships and their principles in order to continue working, and ideological censorship was promoted across the film industry in USA (iMinds 2).
The film industry was co-opted into this hysteria (iMinds 2). The screen actors Guild, led by Ronald Reagan, who later became the United States president, voted to make its officers swear a non-communist pledge in 1944 (iMinds 2).
In the year 1950 the screen actors Guild started to make all its employees to take loyalty oath (iMinds 2). In 1952 the Screen Writer’s Guild authorized the studios to delete the credits of writers who failed to clear themselves before the congress (iMinds 2).
Ironically three of the ‘Hollywood Ten’ had been members of the Guild when it was founded twenty years before (iMinds 2).
The pending cases before HUAC committee finally came to an end (iMinds 2). They were able to prove that some communists held important jobs in the film industry, particularly as writers.
However they failed to prove that the film industry was secretly spreading communist propaganda (iMinds 2). By 1960 the blacklisting began to die out. It was undermined by many different events (iMinds 3).
One interesting case was that of John Henry Faulk (iMinds 3). He was a comedian blacklisted in a private publication and sacked by his employer (iMinds 3). He sued his employer behind the publication in 1957 (iMinds 3).
The case dragged through the courts for years but in 1962, John Faulk won the case (iMinds 3). John Faulk’s legal outcome led to so many individuals threatening to sue that private firms against being blacklisted (iMinds 3).
Before blacklist was history, it was already being played in films (iMinds 3). The most famous film dealing with the theme of the cold war was “On the Waterfront”, starring Marlon Brando (iMinds 3).
This film was collaboration between director Elia Kazan and screen writer Buzz Shulberg with a plot that dealt with the issues of informers (iMinds 3). This film won academy awards in 1954 (iMinds 3).
Types of Movies Released During Cold War
Movies which were produced during the cold war era are documented and it is through what they exhibited that we individuals were informed about how the film industry responded to the external social pressures of the cold war and how the film industry reacted to it (Michael 173).
External social pressure is very vital when evaluating the effects of cold war era on the film industry (Whitfield 42). The cold war era had started a long time before the film industry started getting affected by it.
Many movies are produced based on the social events which take place at the time the movie scripts are formulated, therefore films that were produced during the cold war eventually reflected on ‘the garrison state mentality’ which surrounded many people’s minds during that time (Michael 173).
The movies produced in the cold war era which had cold war theme, mainly conveyed information touching on America and Russia quest for power (Sayre 122).
These movies included movies which deliberately contained anti-communist or anti-capitalism themes. Films in this category were concerned with effects of the cold war to Nations (Gaddis 24).
They could best be referred to as propaganda films and were meant to convince the informed public regarding the objectives and strategies of global cold war conspiracy (Whitfield 56).
These types of films were mostly directed from Moscow or Hollywood and were intended to underpin the American and Soviet Union’s ways of lives (Elaine 76).
The themes in these movies were straight forward and depicted the forces locked in mortal combat. These movies are vital to the historian because of the information of propaganda contained in them (Melvin 88).
Some of the movies in this category includes, “The Iron Curtain (1948)”, “I married a communist (1949)”, “I was communist for the FBI (1951)”, “The Conspirator (1950)” and “Walk East on Beacon (1952)” (Elaine 102).
Conclusion
In conclusion it can be asserted that, the cold war had a heavy social impact on the film industry. HUAC committee’s verdict in 1944 to black list any Communist party supporter in the USA, had posed a great challenges to the film industry but now that this challenge is long gone, the industry can continues to unleash blockbuster movies without any fear. It is obvious that the cold war era, continues to socially influence the scripting of themes in modern films.
Works Cited
Gaddis, John. The Long Peace: Inquiries into the History of the Cold War. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. Print.
iMinds. Hollywood Blacklist: The Arts. New York: iMinds Publishers, 2009. Print.
John, Durham and Peter, Samson. Mass Communication and American Social Thought: Key Texts, 1919-1968. Oxford: Row-Man & Littlefield, 2004. Print.
May, Elaine. Home Ward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era. New York: Basic Books, 1988. Print.
Melvin, Small. “Buffoons and Brave Hearts: Hollywood Portrays the Russians, 1939- 1944.” California Rhetorical Quarterly (1973): 327-37. Print.
Michael, Paris. From the Wright Brothers to Top gun: Aviation, Nationalism and Popular Cinema. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1995. Print.
Quart, Leonard and Albert, Auster. American Film and Society since 1945. New York: Praeger, 1991. Print.
Reinhold, Wagnleitner. Coca-colonization and the Cold War: the Cultural Mission of the United States in Austria after the Second World War. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1994. Print.
Sayre, Nora. Running time: Films of the Cold War. New York: Dial Press, 1982.
Whitfield, Stephen. The culture of the Cold War. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996. Print.
Films based on historical events are usually created to convey them to the current generation. However, this transmission does not always remain accurate. This essay aims to analyze the film Bridges of Spies, which reflects one of the Cold War episodes and investigates raised issues.
Since the film is based on actual events, it is logical that this work’s primary purpose is to reflect the historical scene. However, according to the authors, the film is fiction and not documentary work. Therefore, the portrayed events can be distorted for the sake of cinematography since the film is a historical drama (Wikipedia 2021). Consequently, the plot can deviate from reality in pursuit of other goals. In this case, the actual main goal is most likely to create a dramatic story of a man’s confrontation with the system.
For this purpose, the film does a great job thanks to its acting and a good script. The film shows James Donovan’s attempts, as a lawyer, to protect his client, Rudolf Abel, a Soviet spy, from a politically motivated court (Wikipedia 2021). Consequently, the first significant conflict is personal opposition to the system, which uses the law to its advantage. This theme continues and develops in later scenes when Donovan begins working for the US. Demonstrating his humanity, Donovan actively resists the aggressively-minded USSR in prisoners’ exchange, thereby continuing the central theme developed in the film.
The film, first of all, shows that stage of the Cold War, when both sides actively used scouts and spies, trying to find out as much information about the enemy as possible. Besides, Steven Spielberg’s work reflects the Soviet regime showing the partition of Berlin and the Berlin Wall’s construction (Wikipedia 2021). However, as mentioned above, the film is not a documentary; therefore, the events’ shown somewhat contradict history. For example, the ban on the restoration of Berlin is mentioned, which was not mentioned in any documents. Besides, both the negative public attitudes towards lawyer Donovan and Frederick Pryor’s situation are incorrectly shown. In subsequent interviews, Pryor actively noted inconsistencies, emphasizing that reality and cinema did not coincide. However, such a director’s decision has a clear goal — to display a picture of what happened to an ordinary citizen of the USA. It is sporadic in Hollywood films to have the USSR represented positively. Bridges of Spies is no exception, demonstrating the brutality of the Soviet regime even in aspects in which it did not exist.
Thus, this film is a good work of fiction; however, it does not correspond to reality. Steven Spielberg’s approach to displaying events, the participants of which are still alive, stimulates several thoughts. First of all, there is disrespect of Hollywood toward historical circumstances and personalities. Secondly, the film’s plot is influenced by American propaganda against the USSR. Although there are only a few inconsistencies, a distorted image of the Soviet Union is created. Nevertheless, the film remains a worthy work from an artistic perspective, which should be perceived as fiction, not a documentary film.
The period of history known as the Cold War was characterized by an increasing tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, two of the world’s greatest superpowers. While neither of the two countries engaged in combat, both of them were actively preparing for a nuclear war by developing nuclear weapons of mass destruction. The tensions of that time are satirized by Stanley Kubrick in his movie “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”, starring George C. Scott as General Buck Turgidson.
In its essence, the movie plot centers around the idea that the tension between the two superpowers, fueled by psychological warfare, would eventually prompt one of them to act first and launch an accidental nuclear attack against the other side. Kubrick portrays a story of a United States army general Jack D. Ripper who unilaterally decides to launch a nuclear war against the Soviet Union. The story is adapted from Peter George’s novel “Red Alert” and is largely satirical: the character of the deranged general is named after a well-known serial killer, the team assembled to stop the bombing includes a former Nazi scientist named Dr. Strangelove, and the Soviets have an automatic system designed to launch a global nuclear war if an atomic bomb detonates on their territory. Eventually, when the officials of both countries fail to stop the bombing, Dr. Strangelove is wondering about the future of humanity while the entire planet is being obliterated. In a comedic manner, Kubrick showed the consequences the rivalry of the two nations might have led to.
With this movie, Kubrick criticizes American society as a whole. The director satirizes the desire of the United States to have the most powerful weapon, which eventually destroys it. Kubrick also contributed to the image of the Soviets as being equally blinded by their ambitions, creating a system which initiates global destruction in response to attack.
The portrayal of the destructive power of nuclear weapons has influenced the entire nation’s perception of atomic bombs and the war in general. The atomic bomb is portrayed as a weapon of such power which leads to unprecedented, apocalyptic levels of destruction. Indeed, the power of atomic bomb is such that nuclear war leaves no one alive: only a small number of people are able to survive through the bombing in protected underground shelters.
The cultural impact of the movie went beyond its satiric content: the presentation of wartime planning used in the movie defined visual language of other wartime movies for decades to come. The iconic underground War Room was copied numerous times, as was the wartime strategic planning process.
The widespread critical acclaim of the Kubrick’s work also propelled the carriers of the movie’s leading actors, including George C. Scott. The movie allowed Scott to fully showcase his talent in the role of General Turgidson, who had some of the iconic lines during his dialogue with the president. Scott’s hilarious performance made General Turgidson a truly satiric portrayal of pompous, arrogant individuals who saw the nuclear attack as a viable option. “Dr. Strangelove” became an iconic movie and allowed Scott to contribute to and become a part of its legacy.
Kubrick’s imaginative satire was a realistic depiction of what would have become of the world if the two superpowers continued their struggle for world dominance.
The movie Joint Security Area was a successful blockbuster that showed the commercial growth and mainstream success of South Korean cinema at its release. It is mystery thriller that captured the realism of political tensions on the Korean peninsula while creating a highly emotional and dramatic story told through the eyes of soldiers experiencing everyday life on the brink of war.
The film is an exploration of national and political identity. The Cold War tensions that have pitted the two Koreas against each other were not declining. Both people and soldiers were taught that the other side is the enemy without a clear understanding of the true nature of the ideological conflict. “The ideological training they had received to hate and to kill the enemy loses its legitimacy in the face of reality — the kind of reality that gets created when people meet and talk to one another” (Seo, 2006, par. 12).
The ridiculousness of the DMZ is portrayed from the very beginning as the tourist’s hat gets blown across the border and requires a strict procedure of handing it over to border patrol officers. The tone of divisiveness and helplessness to fix the situation resounded with the South Korean audience which was worn out from the geopolitical pressures of the crisis.
Joint Security Area finds its depth in the emotional bond formed between the four soldiers. As the film’s protagonists became close, they became like brothers. It was an accurate sentiment considering that many families were divided by the Korean war decades earlier. Their relationship is portrayed to be vastly different when secretly spending time together in comparison to official duty. However, despite all odds and apparent ideological differences, they connect as men would in any fraternal situation. The film seems to show that playing games, sharing meals, and talking about their girlfriends is something that both sides share. Despite political divisiveness, Korea is still unified in culture and through its people.
The film’s character development is complicated and does not fall within traditional guidelines of blockbusters with a clearly defined divide between protagonists and their enemies. The plot attempts and succeeds in creating thought-provoking moments that could be contemplated by the audience and applied to the real-life situation. The director did not attempt to take the direction of glorifying conflict but focused on creating the sense of closeness and warmth in the scenes of interaction amongst the protagonists. This was a unique approach to cinematography in a film about the Korean tensions.
The film’s bold theme of portraying North Koreans as victims of repression and Cold War politics humanized the people of a secretive state. “North Koreans become people with whom South Koreans can possibly fall in love or build friendships” (Choi, 2010, p.36). Coincidentally, the film’s release was preceded by a conference between the political leaders of the two Koreas. The blockbusters released at this time significantly challenged the ideology of militaristic nationalism that had been actively promoted by the government for decades. Joint Security Area became a film in a new socio-political era of relaxed censorship and accepting attitudes about the tense relationship at the 38th parallel.
References
Choi, J. (2010). The South Korean film renaissance: Local hitmakers, global provocateurs. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press.
The prevalent mood across the United States after the Second World War was rife with optimism and unparalleled success. The middle class “rapidly expanded, unemployment was low, and the United States (the only country with a nuclear bomb) became the most powerful country on earth” (Burr par.14).
Unfortunately, this mood lasted for a short period of about four years before the Soviet Union started stockpiling nuclear bombs in 1949. Given that the United States was the only state with nuclear weapons by then, the Soviet’s decision to test its first nuclear weapons openly in 1949 caused tensions in the US.
The hitherto mood of success turned somber and Americans became paranoid due to the fears of a nuclear bomb being dropped from the Soviet Union. Americans started preparing for nuclear bomb attacks. The political environment was awash with speculations and conspiracy theories, with some politicians claiming that Soviet spies had infiltrated the American government.
The film industry thus sought to highlight the changing mood across the United States with film directors coming up with movies to underscore the situation.
Some of the outstanding superhero movies that underscored the Cold War paranoia include Captain America directed by Albert Pyun in 1990 and Batman, which was released in 1966. This paper explores these two superhero movies and their correlation with Cold War paranoia in terms of characters and the plotlines.
Batman (1966)
This movie is commonly referred to as Batman: The Movie and it is an adaptation of the Batman Television Series, with emphasis on the character, Batman, who featured extensively in DC Comics (Garcia 55). The movie’s plotline elicits fear, apprehension, and confusion, which characterized the Cold War paranoia.
When Batman tries to rescue Schmidlapp from a yacht, the vessel disappears and he comes out with his leg in a shark’s mouth (Batman). This form of unexpected events underscores the uncertainty that surrounded the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Americans did not know what to expect if either of the warring sides launched a nuclear attack against the other.
Batman and Robin later realize that the call claiming that Schmidlapp had been kidnapped was a set up by the United Underworld, which sought to eliminate Batman. This aspect underscores the many conspiracy theories that surrounded the Cold War. As the movie progresses, the plot exposes the view that everyone loses in a war.
Batman and Robin fail in their attempt to protect the kidnapping of the United World Organization’s Council, while the United Underground loses its missiles and submarines in the war. Similarly, both the United States and the Soviet Union lost substantially during the Cold War. Innocent civilians died as collateral damage on top of property destruction coupled with the death of thousands of soldiers involved in the war.
On the choice of characters, Batman represents the kind of a superhero that Americans wanted to be assured of safety from the threats of nuclear bombs from the Soviet Union.
Americans knew that the government could not protect them sufficiently if a nuclear war broke out because in a nuclear war, there are no winners as everyone loses (Burr par. 16). In addition, the use of Catwoman, under the disguise of Miss Kitka – a Soviet journalist, highlights the allegations of communist sympathizers within the United States at the time.
Captain America
This movie is an adaptation of the Marvel’s Comics Superhero. In the movie, the need to come up with a superhero to protect Americans from the threat of a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union stands out. Even though the plot oscillates between Italy and the United States, fear and unpredictability come out clearly.
The Italian government eliminates Tadzio’s family before kidnapping him for experimental purposes as it seeks to make a fascist superhero (Captain America). However, one of the project masterminds, Dr. Vaselli, cannot stand the thought of using an innocent boy as a guinea pig and so she escapes to the United States where she kick starts a similar project. She successfully transforms one of the soldiers, Steve Rogers, into a superhero.
Even though the director of this movie does not mention the Soviet Union directly, the themes used point to the Cold War paranoia at the time. The idea of coming up with a superhero being was born out of the uncertainty surrounding the possibility of using nuclear bombs during the Cold War (Snellings par. 17).
The cloning of a superhero in Italy and the replication of the same in the United States can be taken to imply the making of a nuclear bomb in the US and the subsequent replication of the same by the Soviet Union. On the use of characters, the script follows that of Batman with superhero characters taking the center stage.
Conclusion
Fear, apprehension, and uncertainty characterized the Cold War era. Americans lived in ‘nuclear war preparedness’ as the Soviet Union was allegedly planning to drop a nuclear bomb anywhere in the US. Moviemakers sought to make films highlighting this feeling of uncertainty.
In addition, Americans wanted a form of protection, which could only come from a superhero as opposed to relying on government forces. Therefore, filmmakers used superheroes in their movies to meet the society’s expectations at the time, as shown in the movies, Batman and Captain America.
Works Cited
Batman. Dir. Leslie Martinson. Century City, LA: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, 1966. Film.